Canada has people that can ball
By Mo Hussain, Sports Reporter
Whether itâs multiple MVPs, all-star appearances, number one draft picks, or rising stars, Canada is well represented in todayâs basketball climate.
Although the United States has the worldâs best basketball players, itâs not as if Canada doesnât have its own share. Whether itâs multiple MVPs, all-star appearances, number one draft picks, or rising stars, Canada is well represented in todayâs basketball climate.
To get a better idea of who are some of the best Canadians out there, here are the top five Canadian basketball players of all time:
STEVE NASH
It would be almost criminal to mention this subject without talking about Steve Nash. The Victoria, BC native was a top player in his day. Nash finished his 18-year career as a hall of famer, two-time NBA MVP, someone who led the league in assists five-times, eight-time all-star, and led the Phoenix Suns to three Western conference finals in six years.
ANDREW WIGGINS
When someone is given the nickname âMaple Jordan,â there must be a good reason behind it. The Thornhill, Ontario native is only the second Canadian first overall pick in the NBA draft, won 2014-15 rookie of the year, and has averaged close to 20 points per game throughout his career. Andrew Wiggins is still only 26 years old and it will be interesting to see how much further he can take his talents.
JAMAL MURRAY
Jamal Murray was always looked at as a good player since he got drafted back in 2016, but the Kitchener, Ontario native took it to a whole other level this past year. In addition to averaging close to 20 points per game these past two seasons, Murray helped lead the Denver Nuggets to the Western Conference last year. During that playoff run, Murray averaged 26.5 points per game.
SHAI GILGEOUS-ALEXANDER
Similar to Murray, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was looked at as a prospect that would be pretty good when he got drafted in 2018, but he has also taken his game to a whole other level. After being traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder back in the summer of 2019, Gilgeous-Alexander has went from averaging close to 11 points per game to over 21 points these past two seasons.
RJ BARRETT
RJ Barrett, the son of former professional basketball player Rowan Barrett, is a fantastic player in the NBA. The Toronto native was one of the top prospects during his draft class and was taken third overall in the 2018 NBA draft by the New York Knicks. Barrett has since averaged close to 16 points per game in only two seasons in the league and is a big part of why the Knicks are currently competing for a playoff spot.
